December 5, 2014 @ 2:30 PM 
A rematch of the 2013 Class 2A state championship game will feature the DeSales Colts and the Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds. The matchup a season ago saw the Colts hop out to a 34-13 lead through three quarters before the Thoroughbreds stormed back with 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter before losing, 34-26. The Colts return to the state championship game in consecutive seasons and the school’s fourth-ever appearance (third since 2009). Coach Harold Davis led DeSales to its first state title in 2013 and hopes to capture a second this weekend. The Thoroughbreds are no stranger to the state finale as Coach Dan Wagner’s program plays in its third-straight championship game and seventh since 2005. The Thoroughbreds have won four state titles in those seven meetings and will be participating in the school’s thirteenth overall.
Players to Watch
DeSales makes its living on defense and senior Bryant Pirtle might be the best on that side of the ball. The defensive end leads the Colts with 77 total tackles (48 solo) and has five fumble recoveries, returning two for touchdowns.
Junior Jacob Smith has been the leading rusher for the Thoroughbreds throughout 2014. The upperclassman leads NCC with 1,477 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground.
Statistics to Ponder
7.2 – DeSales gives up a state-best 7.2 points per game and has allowed only 101 total points all season. The Colts have had five shutouts and the most points the defense has allowed all season was 17 in the team’s only loss to Christian Academy-Louisville.
0-4 – That was the Thoroughbreds record through the first four weeks of the high school football season. A tough, early season schedule left NCC behind the 8-ball; however, the team rebounded well winning 8 of its final 9 games to reach the state championship game for a third-consecutive season.
What to Expect
In the finale of 2013 we saw a back and forth affair for one half before DeSales blew the game open in the third quarter. The Colts defense is stout and I expect them to stand tall in this one as well. Newport Central Catholic is a team on fire but the victors might just be the DeSales Colts once again.
